Best for
- Teams already self-hosting or using Kaneo Cloud who want AI-client-driven task management
- Developers preferring a lightweight, open-source project management tool over Jira/Linear
K
Kaneo
Official
Official MCP server for the Kaneo project management platform
- Category
- Dev Tools #199 of 438
- Stars
- ★ 9.7k Very popular
- Transport
- stdio (local process)
- Runtime
- Node.js · Docker
- Credentials
- Optional API key
- License
- MIT
- Last commit
54FMRS · D
This is Kaneo's own official stdio MCP server, maintained alongside its open-source project management platform, enabling AI clients to manage tasks, projects, and labels; the exact tool list isn't documented, so credential setup and operation scope should be confirmed before use.
Strongest · Maintenance 15/20 Weakest · Reliability 8/20
Why each score
- Reliability 8/20
- The manifest declares a stdio transport, an npm package (@kaneo/mcp), and two environment variables, but the supplied material contains no test files, no CI workflow contents, and no evidence of an actual tool list to confirm declared tools match real behavior. The README gives only a one-sentence description of the MCP server with no reproducible evidence of the initialize/tools-list handshake. Per the static calibration rule, without verifiable CI+test evidence reliability cannot exceed 12, and it is marked down further given how thin the available evidence is.
- Security and permissions 11/20
- KANEO_API_KEY is correctly flagged isSecret and marked optional, with an interactive device-auth flow offered as a secretless alternative — a reasonable credential-handling signal. However, the material does not enumerate the tools actually exposed by the server (e.g., task/project create or delete operations), so there is no way to assess confirmation prompts for destructive actions, least-privilege scoping, or external network/data-boundary disclosure. This evidence gap drives a moderate deduction; no red-line issue is present.
- Maintenance 15/20
- The repo has 7,452 stars, 55 open issues, is not archived, uses the MIT license, and shows community activity via Discord, sponsors, and a CI status badge — solid signals of an actively maintained project. However, the MCP server package itself is only at version 0.1.8 (an early version number), and no concrete release history, changelog, or dedicated security-response channel is provided in the material, so it falls short of full marks.
- Documentation 9/20
- The README's coverage of the MCP server is a single paragraph that mostly redirects readers to an external docs site (docs.kaneo.app) not included in the supplied evidence. No tool parameters, auth details, limits, or troubleshooting content appear in the material. The install example (`npx -y @kaneo/mcp`) is minimal and lacks a reviewable client-configuration example or full environment-variable walkthrough, leaving clear documentation gaps.
- Setup experience 11/20
- The manifest supplies an npm package identifier and stdio transport, and the README mentions `npx -y @kaneo/mcp` as a way to run it, but the server depends on a separately running Kaneo API instance (via KANEO_API_URL), adding a real prerequisite, and no concrete client configuration JSON (e.g., for Claude Desktop) is present in the material. Per the static calibration rule, without executable verification evidence, setup ease cannot exceed 15.
Static review · not runListed 2026-08-06
Read the FMRS scoring method →Fit and risk
What it can accessUses the networkChanges third-party account data
Not for
- Users without a running Kaneo instance
- Anyone needing integration with other project management platforms (Jira, Linear, etc.) — this server only targets Kaneo
Required permissions
- Network access to the configured KANEO_API_URL
- Valid Kaneo credentials (API key or interactive device-authorization login)
- Per the manifest description, the ability to manage (create/modify) tasks, projects, and labels
Risks and side effects
- KANEO_API_KEY is a sensitive credential; if mishandled it could allow reading or modifying data in the connected Kaneo instance
- The manifest does not enumerate the specific tools/functions exposed, so the exact operation scope should be verified before granting broad write access
- If pointed at a self-hosted instance, that instance's own security posture (e.g. AUTH_SECRET, database access) also affects overall risk
Setup
Before you start
Runtime：Node.js · Docker
KANEO_API_KEY
Kaneo API key for non-interactive auth; omit it to use the interactive device flow. Generate one from your Kaneo instance settings.
Other optional settings (1)
KANEO_API_URL
Base URL of your Kaneo API, defaults to http://localhost:1337; change it to point at your self-hosted instance.
Run via npx: npx -y @kaneo/mcp. Optionally set KANEO_API_URL to point at your Kaneo API (defaults to http://localhost:1337); if KANEO_API_KEY is omitted, the server falls back to an interactive device-authorization flow, otherwise set KANEO_API_KEY (store it as a secret) for non-interactive auth. Add the corresponding command/args/env entry to your MCP client config (e.g. Claude Desktop) and restart the client. A running Kaneo instance is required beforehand (deployable via the official Docker Compose setup or the drim CLI).
claude_desktop_config.json
{"mcpServers":{"kaneo":{"command":"npx","args":["-y","@kaneo/mcp"],"env":{"KANEO_API_URL":"http://localhost:1337","KANEO_API_KEY":""}}}}
Shown for Claude Desktop. Other clients may use a different file or key (VS Code uses "servers") — the configurator below converts it.
.vscode/mcp.json
{
"servers": {
"kaneo": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@kaneo/mcp"
],
"env": {
"KANEO_API_URL": "http://localhost:1337",
"KANEO_API_KEY": ""
}
}
}
}
Goes in your project's .vscode/mcp.json (VS Code uses a "servers" key).
Terminal
claude mcp add kaneo -e KANEO_API_URL=http://localhost:1337 -e KANEO_API_KEY= -- npx -y @kaneo/mcp
Run it in a terminal; replace any <…> placeholders with your own values first.
Check that it works
After connecting the kaneo server in your client, Kaneo's task/project/label tools should appear in the tool list; ask the AI to list your projects to confirm the connection works.
Troubleshooting
- Verify the Kaneo instance is running and reachable at KANEO_API_URL (default port 1337)
- If KANEO_API_KEY is unset, confirm the interactive device-authorization login completes successfully
- Ensure the installed @kaneo/mcp version (e.g. 0.1.8) is compatible with the running Kaneo instance
- For connection issues, consult the repository's ENVIRONMENT_SETUP.md, particularly the CORS and environment variable guidance
Things to try
Once connected, you can ask your AI assistant things like:
- Create a project called Website Redesign for me
- Add the urgent label to the fix-login-bug task in my current project
- List all my projects and their tasks
- Mark the Design homepage task as done
Use cases
Letting an AI assistant create, query, or update tasks in Kaneo directly
Managing projects and kanban labels conversationally
Integrating Kaneo's task workflow into AI-driven tooling like Claude or Cursor
Supported clients
Claude Desktop
CursorPartial support
Listed from the project's documentation, not tested by this site.
Overview
The official MCP server maintained by the Kaneo team, letting Claude and other MCP clients manage tasks, projects, and labels on a Kaneo instance. Kaneo is an open-source, self-hosted project management tool positioned as an alternative to Jira and Linear. The server ships as the @kaneo/mcp npm package and runs over stdio, connecting to a self-hosted or cloud Kaneo API.
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Source revision d46edf2762d0 Data synced 2026-11-05 Read the FMRS scoring method